Beth-El Baptist Church
07/9/06
Greg Tomlinson
What is the Pastor of a Church supposed to do?
Over the last couple of meetings we have been looking at the function of the church as a whole. Next we will be taking a look at the job of particular people within the local congregation. We will be looking at Pastors, their wives and deacons.
1. What is a pastor?
Jeremiah 3:15; 10:21; 17:16; 23:1-2
Ephesians 4:11
The Hebrew word for Pastor is ‘Ra`ah’ meaning to pasture, tend, grace, feed. It is also often translated ‘shepherd’. Therefore a pastor is also a shepherd. He is a man that tends the flock or sheep of God. The idea would be that of an under-shepherd who works under the shepherd leadership of Jesus Christ. As a result the shepherd is to tend or take care of the flock of God that was given to him by Jesus Christ.
2. What are the requirements to becoming a pastor?
1 Timothy 3:1-7
Titus 1:7-9
Someone who is going to be a pastor is to be someone that is more mature in the faith and is not interested in pleasing men, but in pleasing God. He is to have a good reputation amongst other believers and even unbelievers. He is to be a man of great integrity and a man that knows how to properly guide and teach those within his household. He is to be an example of righteous living to the others. This means that he is to remember that he is first and foremost a sheep of the chief shepherd, a disciple of Jesus Christ.
3. Where can we find the functional activities of a pastor?
Isaiah 40:10-11
Jeremiah 23:4; 50:6
Ezekiel 34:2-8
Zechariah 11:15-17
Matthew 9:36-38
Mark 6:34
John 10:11-16
John 21:15-17
Acts 6:1-4; 20:27-28
1 Peter 5:1-4
One of the primary jobs of the Pastor is to “feed the flock”. The pastor is expected to be “flock” focused. This means that he not only feeds them but he protects them, leads them, strengthens them, heals them, restores them, seeks them out.
4. What does it mean to “feed the flock”?
Ephesians 4:11-15
2 Timothy 4:1-3
John 17:17
Matthew 4:3-4
Luke 4:3-4
Colossians 3:16-17
John 6:51-56 cmp John 1:1-4; 14
1 Peter 2:1-2
The pastor is to “feed the flock”. This means that he is to give them the true nourishment that they need in order to live. What every human being needs in order to live be nothing less than Jesus Christ, the living Word of God. The only thing that a pastor is to feed the flock is the very Word of God. He is not to feed him his own desires, ideas, goals, political leanings, psychological building up or other such nonsense. The pastor who does not feed the flock the truth from God’s word is doing a great disservice to the flock. He will in effect cause his flock to go hungry and eventually die (Hosea 4:6).
5. What does it mean that the pastors are to “give ourselves continually … to the ministry of the word”?
Act 20:27-29
1 Timothy 4:13-16
2 Timothy 2:15-16; 3:16-17
The pastor is to dedicate his life to the study and the proclamation of the word of God. Being a pastor is a word-oriented endeavor. He is not to fill his life by teaching other peoples sermons, or taking on other people’s problems, or entertaining the congregation. He is expected to fill his life in and by and through the very Word of God.
6. Isn’t it the primary job of the pastor to do the church’s outreach or evangelism?
Matthew 5:13-16
1 Peter 3:15-16
2 Corinthians 5:20-21
There are many that believe that as a member of the congregation they are to bring people to the church to hear the pastor preach and then become believers. Believers are to do the work that Jesus has called them to do. That job is to be lights to the world and salt to the earth so that they may see the love of Jesus Christ being lived out in us and desire Jesus as we have lived him out.
When all is
said and done, the Church has only one real job to do. The pastor has the job
of caring with deep care for the flock that Jesus has given him. This entails
the preaching of the Word of God to all that he can.